1612P The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on distress level in cancer patients, a cross-sectional multicentric study

Abstract Background Canada legalized cannabis use for medical purposes in 1999. Legalization of cannabis for recreational purposes in October 2018 offered the opportunity to assess the impact of recreational legalization on cancer patients’ patterns of use to identify learning points that could be helpful to other countries considering similar legislation.Method Two identical anonymous cross-sectional surveys were administered to cancer patients in British Columbia (2 months before and 3 months following legalization), with the same eligibility criteria. The prevalence of medical cannabis use, the distribution of symptoms leading to use, the most common types of cannabis products and sources, reasons for stopping using cannabis, and barriers to access were assessed.Results The overall response rate was 27%. Both cohorts were similar regarding age (median= 66yrs), gender (53% female), and education (approximately 85% of participants had an education level of high school graduation and higher). Respondents had multiple motives for taking cannabis, including to manage multiple symptoms, to treat cancer, and for recreational reasons. The majority of patients in both surveys did not use the legal medical access system. Comparison of the two cohorts showed that after legalization the prevalence of current cannabis use increased by 26% (23·1% to 29·1%, p-value 0·01), including an increased disclosure of recreational motive for use, from 32% to 40%. However, in the post-legalization cohort more Current Users reported problems getting cannabis (18%) than the pre-legalization cohort (8%), (p-value <0·01). The most common barrier cited was lack of available preferred products, including edibles, as these were only available from illegal dispensaries. Conclusions Results showed that legalization of cannabis for recreational purposes may have an impact on those who use medical cannabis. Impacts include an increase in prevalence of use; problems accessing preferred products legally; higher cost, and difficulties using a legal access system. The desired goal of regulation in reducing harms from use of illegal cannabis products are unlikely to be achieved if the legal process is less attractive to patients than use of illegal sources.

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Effect of Flavor Enhancement on the Appreciation of Food in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzaa044_019 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 320-320

Author(s):

Kenza Drareni ◽

Moustafa Bensafi ◽

Helene Lusson ◽

Damien Vansteene ◽

Agnès Giboreau ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Hierarchical Cluster ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Control Group ◽

Breast Cancer Patients ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Funding Sources ◽

Significant Difference ◽

The Impact

Abstract Objectives Given the influence of sensory signals on food intake regulation and the subsequent nutritional status, it is important to reduce the impact of commonly observed smell and taste alterations on the pleasure of eating during chemotherapy. This study aimed to examine the effect of various types of flavor enhancement on the appreciation of an appetizer by a group of patients undergoing chemotherapy. Methods Five eggplant appetizers with no seasoning (REF) or enhanced with either salt, lemon, garlic or cumin were developed. In this cross-sectional study, 36 healthy female subjects (age 58 ± 7 y) (control group) and 84 breast cancer patients (age 56 ± 11 y) treated with chemotherapy were recruited. A hierarchical cluster analysis based on patients' self-reported smell and taste abilities classified the patients in two groups: the ‘unaltered, (high sensory abilities) n = 49’ and the ‘altered, (poor sensory abilities), n = 35’ group. Participants tasted and assessed the appreciation of the reference appetizer on a visual analog scale and performed a randomized comparative liking task, by rating the appreciation for each flavor-enhanced appetizer relative to the REF (one-sample t-test). Results There was no significant difference in the appreciation of the REF appetizer between the three groups (P > 0.05). In the comparative liking task, the control group rated similarly the appreciation between the flavor-enhanced and the REF appetizers except for the cumin-enhanced appetizer, which was appreciated significantly more than the REF (P < 0.001). Patients in both ‘altered’ and ‘unaltered’ groups appreciated similarly the cumin appetizer (P > 0.05), more the salt and garlic-enhanced appetizers (P ≤ 0.001, P = 0.005, respectively) and significantly less the lemon-enhanced appetizer relative to the REF (P = 0.029), confirming a tendency for patients to reject acid-flavored foods. Conclusions The salt and garlic enhancements were appreciated by the patients independent of the stage of chemotherapy or the severity of smell and taste alterations. Flavor enhancement seems a good strategy to maintain the pleasure of eating in patients undergoing chemotherapy. Further research is still needed on the appreciation and intake of a complete meal (starter, main course, dessert). Funding Sources APICIL and ELIOR groups.

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Impact of skeletal related events (SREs) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and healthcare resource utilization (HRU) in prostate cancer patients with bone metastases (BM).

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2013.31.15_suppl.e16046 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 31 (15_suppl) ◽

pp. e16046-e16046

Author(s):

Jorge Arellano ◽

Kristina S Chen ◽

Carolyn Atchison ◽

Alex Rider ◽

Andrew Worsfold ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Prostate Cancer ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Underlying Disease ◽

Cord Compression ◽

Healthcare Resource Utilization ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Cancer Disease ◽

The Impact

e16046 Background: Advanced prostate cancer often leads to the development of BM and as a result SREs. Treatment and management of SREs, as well as the underlying disease, influences the patient’s HRQoL and HRU. We evaluated the impact of SREs on HRQoL (FACT-P) and HRU in patients with BM. Methods: Data were extracted from the Adelphi Prostate Cancer Disease-Specific Programme (DSP), a cross-sectional survey of 150 urologists and oncologists and their prostate cancer patients conducted from March to June 2012 in the US. Each specialist completed comprehensive record forms on 12 of their patients being treated for prostate cancer. Patients were invited to complete a questionnaire, which included the FACT-P HRQoL instrument. Patients were stratified by SRE experience to assess the impact of SRE on patients with BM. SRE was defined as an event of bone radiation, bone surgery, fracture, or spinal cord compression. Results: Data were collected from 1,749 prostate cancer patients, of which 941 were identified with BM; SRE status was recorded in 499 BM patients (Table). HRQoL was significantly lower in patients experiencing SREs, while the rate of consultations and likelihood of being hospitalized was significantly higher. Conclusions: SREs result in a significant economic burden on the healthcare system and negative impact on HRQoL in prostate cancer patients with BM. [Table: see text]

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The impact of age on general and bladder cancer-specific quality of life among bladder cancer survivors.

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2020.38.6_suppl.463 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 38 (6_suppl) ◽

pp. 463-463

Author(s):

Pauline Filippou ◽

Sean McCabe ◽

Hannah McCloskey ◽

Kathryn Gessner ◽

Judy Hamad ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Bladder Cancer ◽

Cancer Survivors ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Multivariable Analysis ◽

Multiple Linear Regression Model ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Impact

463 Background: Quality of life among cancer survivors has been shown to vary by age. Our objective was to evaluate differences in general and bladder cancer-specific quality of life based on age among a large cross-sectional bladder cancer cohort. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional survey of bladder cancer patients using the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network Patient Survey Network and Inspire platforms to determine general and bladder cancer-specific quality of life (QOL) using the EORTC QLQ-C30 and Bladder Cancer Index. Patients were also queried regarding demographic, socioeconomic and clinical characteristics. We present descriptive statistics and a multiple linear regression model to identify factors independently associated with QOL domain score. Results: 972 respondents self-identified as patients with bladder cancer, of whom 41% were female and 97 % were white. The mean age was 67.6 years (range 29 to 93 years). Respondents were highly educated (67% completed college). 63% of patients identified as having non-invasive (NMIBC) cancer (n=578), 30% had MIBC (n=270), and 7% had metastatic bladder cancer (n=63). On multivariable analysis, older age was significantly associated with better generic QOL and urinary function ( Table), but not sexual function (p=0.19) or bowel function (p=0.73), controlling for sex, race, stage, comorbidity and years since diagnosis. Conclusions: Higher general and domain-specific QOL scores are more common among older bladder cancer patients. Differential impact by age may be important for the development of tailored interventions to improve QOL for bladder cancer patients. [Table: see text]

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Does the cancer patient's disease stage matter? A comparative study of caregivers' mental health and health related quality of life

Palliative & Supportive Care ◽

10.1017/s1478951511000873 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 189-196 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Ellen Karine Grov ◽

Berit Taraldsen Valeberg

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Mental Health ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Disease Stage ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Health Related Qol ◽

Health Related ◽

The Impact

AbstractObjective:Cancer affects both patients and their caregivers. Caregiver burden may change during different stages of the patients' cancer trajectory. Limited research has focused on the impact of being a caregiver, assessed by the caregiver's mental health and quality of life (QOL) during the curative and the palliative phases of the patient's disease. The aim of this study is to compare caregivers of cancer patients during the curative and a palliative phases with respect to their mental health and health-related QOL.Method:This descriptive, cross-sectional study combines data from two studies. The first group consists of caregivers of patients with cancer in the late palliative phase and the second group consists of caregivers of outpatients with cancer who suffer from pain and/or use analgesics. Data were collected by means of standardized measures and analyzed with descriptive statistics.Results:Based on this material, no significant differences in mental health and health- related QOL were revealed for caregivers of cancer patients in the palliative and the curative phases, respectively. Neither education level in the caregivers, nor the patients' functional status influenced caregivers' mental health or QOL. Younger caregivers seem to have better physical QOL.Significance of results:Being caregivers of cancer patients seems to have a similar pattern of impact on caregivers' mental health and quality of life regardless of the patient's disease stage. We share some reflections about the way in which the cancer stage is divided and the appropriateness of such selection for measuring caregivers' mental health and QOL. Additionally, we discuss the use of generic instruments for measuring specific contexts and particular samples.

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The Impact of Cancer Treatment “Out-of-Pocket” Costs on the Mental Health of Chemotherapy Patients: A Comparative Study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-813308/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Thiago Artioli ◽

Karine Corcione Turke ◽

Aline Hernandez Marquez Sarafyan ◽

Beatriz Boos Ortolani ◽

Ingrid Victoria Maria Biondo Edle von Schmadel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Cancer Treatment ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Tertiary Hospital ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Unified Health System ◽

The Impact ◽

Out Of Pocket Costs

Abstract Introduction: Anxiety and depression are prevalent comorbidities in cancer patients. Although cancer treatment is funded by the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS), economic burden is also borne by patients through out-of-pocket costs. Our study sought to evaluate the impact of out-of-pocket costs of cancer treatment on depression, anxiety and stress levels in cancer patients.Methods: Observational, cross-sectional and analytical study conducted in 2021. Patients undergoing chemotherapy were being treated at tertiary hospital affiliated with the SUS and enrolled in research protocols at research center. To evaluate out-of-pocket costs, we used a socioeconomic questionnaire to identify costs and time spent by patients. Primary outcomes were prevalence of depression and anxiety, as determined by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and prevalence of stress, as determined using a stress thermometer.Results: 195 patients were included. Among included patients, 61% were female, and mean age was 57 years. Patients' median overall out-of-pocket costs was R$ 453.80 (US$ 78.92). Based on the HADS, 62.1% of patients had possible or probable depression/anxiety. There was no correlation between overall out-of-pocket spending and levels of depression/anxiety. However, when stratified by cost-time variables, there was a negative correlation between spending on telephones and HADS (rho = -0.140; P = 0.049) and positive correlations between spending on medications (rho = 0.140; P = 0.05) and time spent purchasing medications (rho = 0.157; P = 0.029) with HADS.Conclusion: Although overall spending was not directly correlated with mental health, specific costs impacted levels of anxiety, depression and stress.

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Cancer Information Satisfaction among Indonesian Cancer Survivors

Asian Community Health Nursing Research ◽

10.29253/achnr.2020.2147 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1

Author(s):

Wenny Savitri ◽

Masta Hutasoit

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Cancer Survivors ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cancer Information ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Adult Cancer Survivors ◽

Health Related ◽

The Impact

Information for cancer patients is significant to overcome a cancer diagnosis and its treatment, affecting patients' quality of life. This study aimed to assess the level of satisfaction with the information on illness treatment among Indonesian cancer survivors, explore its association with the patients' demographic and health-related characteristics, and provide recommendations and improve the information. Sixty adult cancer survivors at the oncology unit of Panembahan Senopati Bantul Hospital of Yogyakarta, Indonesia, were recruited in a cross-sectional study design completing a demographic and health-related data form and the Satisfaction with Cancer Information Profile Questionnaire. The data were then analyzed using descriptive statistics and path analysis. Most patients were dissatisfied with the amount and content of cancer information provided by health care ranging from 12-67%, particularly on the information regarding managing unwanted-side effects of the treatment and the impact of their cancer treatment on long-term quality of life. The patients were also discontented with the detail of information, the timing, and the usefulness of information to others. Demographic and health-related characteristics directly influence the patients' satisfaction of information (β= 0.461, p = 0.045). Patients who were divorced, not living with their spouses, and diagnosed with cancer for a longer time (more than two years) were the significant contributors to directly influencing their satisfaction. Nurses need to enhance the detail of information, find the best time to provide and design a better way to deliver cancer patients' information.

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Awareness of Diagnosis and Decision-Making Preferences of Greek Cancer Patients

Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacoepidemiology ◽

10.33805/2638-8235.115 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 5-12

Author(s):

Despoina G Alamanou ◽

Konstantinos Giakoumidakis ◽

Dimosthenis G Theodosiadis ◽

Nikolaos V Fotos ◽

Elissavet Patiraki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Cancer Diagnosis ◽

Active Role ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Medical Encounter ◽

The Mean ◽

The Impact ◽

The City

Objective: In Greece, the old phenomenon of hiding cancer diagnosis and depriving cancer patients of their right to participate in decisionmaking remains a reality. The aim of this study was to assess the decision-making preferences of Greek cancer patients and their awareness of diagnosis. Methods: It was a cross-sectional study. The sample consisted of 229 adult Greek patients diagnosed with cancer, attending the oncology outpatient department (outpatients) or being hospitalized (inpatients), in one general hospital in Athens. Patients who were aware of cancer diagnosis (n=209) were administered at the Control Preference Scale (CPS), a tool, designed to elicit decision-making preferences. The IBM SPSS program, version 21.0 was used for statistical analysis. Results: One hundred and one patients (52.8%) were males. The mean [±standard deviation (SD)] age was 64.8 (±11.2) years. The vast majority of patients knew they suffered from cancer (n=209, 91.3%). Older patients (p=0.003), those who lived in suburbs of the city (p=0.01), those who had lower educational level (p=0.001), those with lower personal income (p=0.001) and shorter disease duration (p=0.001) stated that were unaware of cancer diagnosis. Seventy five (36.2%) patients chose the shared-decision role in decision-making procedures. Lower age (OR 1.04, 95%, CI: 1.00-1.08, p= 0.05) and higher education level (OR 2, 63, 95%, CI: 1.11-6.29, p=0.03) were significantly associated with the preference of patients to actively participate in decision-making regarding treatment. Conclusions: Although Greek cancer patients are aware of cancer diagnosis and treatment, nowadays, they still seem to hesitate in playing a more active role in the decision-making procedures, which portrays the impact of the dominating paternalistic model of doctor-patient relationship in the Greek medical encounter

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Impact of corona-phobia on attitudes and acceptance towards COVID-19 vaccine among cancer patients: a single-center study

Future Oncology ◽

10.2217/fon-2021-1015 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Dilek Erdem ◽

Irem Karaman

Keyword(s):

Cancer Patients ◽

Univariate Analysis ◽

Related Factors ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Negative Attitudes ◽

Vaccine Acceptance ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Raising Awareness ◽

Single Center Study ◽

The Impact

Aim: This study aimed to assess the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) phobia and related factors on attitude towards COVID-19 vaccine in cancer patients. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 300 adult patients using a validated COVID-19 Phobia Scale (C19P-S) and related survey to determine the factors affecting vaccine acceptance between May–June 2021. Results: Regarding the COVID-19 vaccine willingness, 86.7% accepted vaccination, 6.3% were hesitant and 7% refused vaccination. Patients that accepted vaccination had significantly higher C19P-S scores in general, and in psychological and psychosomatic subdivisions. Univariate analysis revealed that increased age, being retired, and being married were significantly associated with willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Conclusion: The majority of patients had high coronophobia levels which were associated with increased willingness for the COVID-19 vaccines. Minimizing negative attitudes towards vaccines will most likely be achieved by raising awareness in the cancer population about COVID-19 vaccine.

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